


Not Broken

by oswinosgoodsscarf



Category: Original Work
Genre: Aromantic, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Gen, Mermaids, Metaphors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 17:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19214239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oswinosgoodsscarf/pseuds/oswinosgoodsscarf
Summary: An asexual/aromantic metaphor depicted by a mermaid who is uninterested in the world of Men, living in a society built around a fascination for the surface world.





	Not Broken

Celeste watched the air bubbles float upwards and cursed the surface world.

All the merfolk were, in some way or another, obsessed with the surface. Whether this interest was channeled by shedding skin and trading fins for legs, or hoarding jetsam from sunken ships, or guiding foolish sailors to their deaths with hypnotic melodies - they were all obsessed with the world of Men.

 

And Celeste honestly never understood why.

 

Even here, waiting for her friends, Celeste could see a world far better than the one above: bright coral reefs dotted the dark rock, while tiny neon fish ducked and darted in between the gently corals and gently swaying seaweed, hiding from the slow moving predators lurking in the shadows.

In her opinion, it was a sight far better than that of the ships and docks above, but it seemed that Celeste was alone in that opinion. Her friends, for example, were strangely obsessed. And it made them late for their meetup. They probably got distracted by some divers or something. Celeste made herself comfortable on a small rock shelf, content to wait and watch to sealife around her.

When she saw her friends coming a while later, Celeste pushed away her musings to enjoy her time with them and rolled her eyes when they gushed about their dream humans. But she supposed she'd feel the same someday; it was just a matter of time. Right?

 

* * *

 

 

Celeste noticed how River, once again, snuck a peak at the sun filtering through the seaweed and felt her blood ran cold. It had been a silly thought, perhaps, but Celeste had hoped that River would stay with her in the depths of the ocean, far away from the bright, blistering sun and the noisy, smelly humans. But it seemed that even River was enthralled by the surface world; no matter how she loved their friendship, it didn't seem to matter as much as the glittering colors offered above. Celeste knew it wouldn't be the last time they spent time together: no merfolk in possession of their fins truly abandoned the ocean.

But their time would be shorter, be seen as lesser compared to basking in the sun. In that moment, Celeste resigned herself to being a lesser, smaller part of River's life than River was in Celeste's.

After all, no happy ending, no successful or fulfilling life, ended with the heroine diving deep into the ocean to spend her days.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The sun shone brightly on the water and warming the rocks jutting out from the blue waves. Celeste squirmed, and dipped her tail back into the water in a attempt to cool down, attempting to smile. Seagulls screeched nearby, setting her teeth on edge and straining her already forced grin.

Even after being dragged up to the surface, she still couldn't see the appeal of it. She yearned for the cool waters and soothing sounds of the ocean. Her hair swung into her face and she grimaced. One look at the young merman next to her confirmed that, yes, he was in fact enjoying himself. She sighed, counting down the seconds until she could sink back into the ocean and leave the merman and the blinding, boring surface far behind. The short date stretched on for an agonizing eternity with Celeste trying not to scream at the increasingly awkward merman beside her. After a suitable amount of time, she found an excuse to leave him and his uncertain attempts to woo her with the surface. She eagerly dived back into the ocean, resting where the sunlight couldn't reach and curled up among the ancient rocks, desperately trying to ignore her inner voice saying she was wrong, broken.

The next few times the young merman tried to find her again, she hid until he gave up, taking his smile and love and the above world with him. Celeste felt relieved, guilty ans slightly sad at the loss of a potential friend.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

So life went on: her family prodded, her friends were entranced by the world of Men with Celeste watching, wondering what was wrong with her for not wanting to join them.

 

Then everything Celeste knew changed.

 

One day was worse than usual: her family was hinting at when she'd help sink a ship, and her peers were too busy talking about their next jaunt near the cliffs to pay her any mind. She wandered off, trying to shake off her discomfort. Not for the first time, she wondered when she'd start yearning for the world above and be normal.

Then she found them.

Drifting out from an unassuming hole in the rocky wall, the sound of quiet chatter and laughter drew Celeste in. Strange, she thought she was the only one who enjoyed the deep, cold waters of the ocean over the sun-warmed cliffs and rocks. As she neared the cave opening, she entered the cave and stared. there were groups of merfolk scattered throughout the room: some were engaged in conversation while others busied themselves with various works of art and books. It was a rather small gathering, but no less lively. She spent a few moments near the entrance, drinking it all in. She listened to the conversations around her; conversations about the prettiest coral formations, the friendliest fish and tastiest crabs, the best caves and strangest nooks. One particular conversation drew Celeste in: every word falling from their lips seemingly plucked from the depths of her soul.

 

"My parents were nagging me again about going up to the surface, asking why I hadn't brought a nice merman along to raid a human ship or something. They've been getting more and more insistent... but every time I try to say that I don't want to, they just laugh it off."

"I know exactly what you mean! All of my other friends keep worrying about me and trying to 'fix' me by bringing me into a wreckage or something. Once, they even tried to goad me into singing when human fishers were nearby."

"They always think I'm missing something, or that something's wrong with me when I simply don't want anything to do with humanity!"

 

Celeste had drifted closer to the group and found herself talking.

 

"I... I always thought I was a late bloomer. I thought I had to grow up and I'd get what everyone loved about it and be normal."

 

One of the merfolk smiled, and motioned for Celeste to join the group.

"That may happen, but even if you never do, it doesn't mean something's wrong with you. That's what we all have in common: a disinterest or repulsion toward the surface world. Feel free to look around, talk to some others. We don't have many set meetings, but there are generally always people here casually."

 

For the first time in her memory, Celeste felt completely comfortable. After years of worrying and waiting in dread, she finally had a place where she could be herself. She spent hours with merfolk that were just like her, understood why she acted and felt the way she did. No need to justify herself or her feelings; she was accepted without reservations.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Life did not suddenly become easier for Celeste after that moment, nor for the others.

Friends still left for the bewitching surface, and her disinterest and vague dislike of the world above was met with patient smiles of someday or concern. Everywhere she went, every story she heard, the surface world was present and crucial. But Celeste was not alone. She could find solace with the others, when all the talk and giggling and cajoling to grow up and join everyone else on the craggy rocks and sunken ships. She had other people who felt the same lack of interest, whose nature was as deeply ingrained in them as it was in her. Nothing changed except that Celeste was not alone anymore.

 

And that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little short story! Feedback (whether kudos or comments) is greatly appreciated :D


End file.
